The subject matter disclosed herein relates to medical imaging and, in particular, to a system and method for generating and performing imaging protocol simulations.
Typically, in computed tomography (CT) imaging systems, an X-ray source emits a fan or cone-shaped beam toward a subject or object, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. Hereinafter, the terms “subject” and “object” shall include anything capable of being imaged. The beam, after being attenuated by the subject, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the X-ray beam by the subject. Each detector element of the detector array produces a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by each detector element. The electrical signals are transmitted to a data processing system for analysis which ultimately produces an image.
Generally, the X-ray source and the detector array are rotated about the gantry within an imaging plane and around the subject. X-ray sources typically include X-ray tubes, which emit the X-ray beam at a focal point. X-ray detectors typically include a collimator for collimating X-ray beams received at the detector, a scintillator for converting X-rays to light energy adjacent the collimator, and photodiodes for receiving the light energy from the adjacent scintillator and producing electrical signals therefrom. Typically, each scintillator of a scintillator array converts X-rays to light energy. Each scintillator discharges light energy to a photodiode adjacent thereto. Each photodiode detects the light energy and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The outputs of the photodiodes are transmitted to the data processing system for image reconstruction. Imaging data may be obtained using X-rays that are generated at a single polychromatic energy. However, some systems may obtain multi-energy images that provide additional information for generating images.
During scanning to acquire projection data, it is generally desirable to reduce X-ray dose received by the subject and to improve image quality. However, to develop protocols to achieve these goals usually involves some experimentation with patients to acquire knowledge that can be used retrospectively. In addition, feedback from the scanner utilized to acquire the image data may not be sufficient or useful in developing the protocols. Further, current techniques for developing protocols are limited in capability and do not provide enough prospective feedback (e.g., visual or quantitative) on the protocol's effect on an individual patient and/or across a patient population.